Refineries on suspected LeT men’s hit-list

The two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, who were arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad in Thane on November 15, had planned to use “minimum power to get maximum impact”.

The two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, who were arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad in Thane on November 15, had planned to use “minimum power to get maximum impact”.

HT Image

Oil tanker drivers Mohammed Sharief Makhandeep Thakar, 33, and Mohammed Issac Mohammed Rashid Kumlakh, 29, had allegedly plotted to park oil-laden tankers inside four oil refineries, including the one at Mahul in Chembur, and blow them up using little explosives, sources said. The two, who are natives of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), were not suicide bombers as they had planned to park the vehicles, get to safety and then detonate the explosives.

“They had concentrated at the military installations at Pune and Aurangabad and had even recceed the places in the last three months,” additional director general of police (ATS) Rakesh Maria said on Tuesday.

He, however, denied that the duo had accessed the Pune military installation. An internal alert has been issued at oil refineries across the state. On the duo having recceed the Mumbai Central oil refinery two months back, Maria said there too the attack plan was the same.

“One handler is based in Pakistan, while the other is in J&K,” Maria said adding a mobile phone and two SIM cards had been seized from Isaac.

“Such drivers do not work with one transport company for long. So, we are getting in touch with all the transport operators and they are co-operating,” Maria said.